Planning commission recommends approval for tire service at 1410 Buckeye Avenue

City planning staff recommended and the Ames City Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend approval of a major site development plan to redevelop 1410 Buckeye Avenue for a tire service facility. The commission approved the staff-recommended “alternative one” by voice vote.

Assistant planner Parker Walsh told the commission the site, originally part of the Kmart redevelopment, will be completely redeveloped to accommodate the proposed vehicle service facility. Walsh said the proposal includes six service bays on the north side of the building and about 30 parking spaces, exceeding the city’s minimum requirement of 15 spaces. He said the driveway access would be widened from 30 to 32 feet to accommodate larger truck traffic and that the design preserves existing landscaping where feasible.

"All of this will be removed with a complete site redevelopment to accommodate the tire shop," Walsh said, adding that the project meets highway-oriented commercial zone standards and the landscaping requirements. He recommended approval because staff found the proposal compliant with applicable commercial and zoning code standards.

Jeff Wesorf of Westwood Professional Services, the applicant representative, said the company plans to reface an existing pylon sign and connect to the car wash’s existing stormwater system on the north side of the lot rather than build a new on-site system. "Lewab is very excited to be here with the opportunity to develop here in your city," Wesorf said.

No public comments were offered at the hearing. Commissioners moved and seconded the staff recommendation and approved the site plan by voice vote; the commission’s approval is a recommendation to the Ames City Council, which is the final decision-maker on the amendment to the integrated site plan and the major site development plan.

Next steps: The commission forwarded its recommendation to the council for final action.